In the manufacture of cartons, small sheets of paper material having specific profiles are cut out of larger sheets of paper material. These smaller sheets are known as carton blanks that, in turn, are formed into cartons and/or boxes. The carton blanks are formed during a process known as a blanking operation in a die cutting machine.
In a die cutting machine, the carton blanks are cut, but not removed from a large sheet of paper material. After the blanks have been cut, the sheet is moved downstream in the die cutting machine to a blanking station where the sheet is positioned over a blanking tool insert support on a frame assembly. The frame assembly includes an outer frame and an inner grid having large openings that correspond generally to the size, shape and position to the profile of the carton blank previously cut. The blanking tool insert is provided on the inner grid to further support the carton blanks, and includes openings that correspond in size, in shape and in position to the profile of the carton blank as previously cut. Below the frame is a mechanism for stacking the carton blanks.
At the blanking station, an upper tool is used in combination with the lower tool or frame assembly to knock the carton blanks from the sheet of paper material while holding the scrap material that surrounds the blanks. The upper tool has a support board that moves vertically up and down in the die cutting machine, and the support board typically has a plurality of stand-offs depending therefrom that hold pushers spaced beneath the board which in turn are used to push the carton blanks from the sheet through the lower tool or frame assembly. A plurality of presser assemblies are also mounted in the support board and depend therefrom to hold the scrap material against the lower tool or frame assembly during the blanking operation so that the blanks may be pushed from the sheet. A presser assembly typically includes a presser rail that is biased downwardly away from the support board by a spring so that the rail is positioned slightly below the pushers. As the upper tool is lowered, the presser rail engages the sheet of paper material first such that a scrap portion of the large sheet of material is secured between the presser rail and the frame. The upper tool then continues to be lowered such that the sheet of material engages the blanking tool insert supported on the inner grid within the frame while at substantially the same time the pushers engage the carton blanks and knock the carton blanks out of the sheet of material and through the openings in the blanking tool insert and the inner grid. The carton blanks then fall into a stacking mechanism below the frame where the blanks are stacked for further processing.
The lower tool used in the blanking operation is typically comprised of a steel outer frame that supports an inner grid. The inner grid is typically comprised of a plurality of lengthwise and crosswise extending bars. In order to secure the inner grid in place on the outer frame, the ends of each bar are typically screwed onto attachment pieces that, in turn, are mounted on the lengthwise and crosswise rails of the outer frame. The blanking tool insert is positioned on the inner grid and defines a pattern that conforms to the die cut in the sheet of paper material. It can be appreciated the inner grid must be reconfigured and the blanking tool insert must be replaced whenever a different carton blank needs to be produced. Thus, the disassembly of the inner grid and the blanking tool insert from the outer frame may become a very cumbersome and time-consuming activity. Thus, it is desirable to provide a device that allows a user to quickly attach and/or remove the blanking tool insert from the outer frame.
Therefore, it is a primary object and feature of the present invention to provide an improved rail assembly for supporting a blanking tool insert on a frame assembly for a lower blanking tool of a carton die cutting machine.
It is a further object and feature of the present invention to provide a rail assembly for supporting a blanking tool insert on a frame assembly for a lower blanking tool that allows a user to easily attach and/or remove the blanking tool insert from the frame assembly.
It is a still further object and feature of the present invention to provide a rail assembly for supporting a blanking tool insert on a frame assembly for a lower blanking tool which is compatible with standard blanking operation machinery and which is relatively inexpensive.
In accordance with the present invention, a rail assembly is provided for supporting a blanking tool insert on an outer frame for a lower blanking tool of a carton die cutting machine. The rail assembly includes an elongated, insert receiving element that defines a cavity for receiving a portion of the blanking tool insert therein. A clamp piece is connectable to the frame and defines a vertically extending inner face, an opposite vertically extending outer face, and a bore extending between the inner face and the outer face. A jaw element is operatively connected to a clamp piece so as to define a clamping cavity therebetween. The jaw element is movable between a clamping position for retaining a portion of the insert receiving element in the clamping cavity and a release position.
The jaw element may also include a first clamping surface that is engageable with the insert receiving element when the jaw element is in the clamping position. The jaw element may also include a second clamping surface engageable with the clamp piece when the jaw element is in the clamping position. The first and second clamping surfaces of the jaw element are generally arcuate and include an apex. It is contemplated that a screw member move the jaw member between the clamping and release positions. The bore through the clamp piece extends along the axis at an acute angle to the outer face. The acute angle of the bore is in the range of 30° to 80°, and preferably, approximately 65°. Also, the outer face of the clamp piece may include a lip. The lip is engageable with a corresponding ledge along the outer face to support the clamp piece thereon. A fastening element extends through the bore in the clamp piece and is receivable in the corresponding slot in the outer frame to interconnect the clamp piece to the outer frame. The inner face of the clamp piece defines a recessed slot therein. A jogger may be slidably disposed in the recessed slot in the inner face of the clamp piece. It is contemplated to drive a pin through the blanking tool insert and into a pin receiving depression in an upper surface of the clamp piece to interconnect the blanking tool insert to the rail assembly.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a rail assembly is provided for supporting a blanking tool insert on an outer face for a lower blanking tool of a carton die cutting machine. The rail assembly includes an elongated insert retaining structure for receiving a portion of the blanking tool insert. A plate member defines inner and outer faces and a bore that extends between the inner face and the outer face along an axis at an acute angle to the outer face. A clamping structure is operatively connected to the plate member. The clamping structure is movable between a clamping position for rigidly retaining a portion of the insert receiving structure against the plate member and a release position.
The inner face of the plate member defines a recess slot therein for a jogger. The clamping structure includes a jaw element having a first clamping surface engageable with the insert receiving structure with the clamping structure in the clamping position. The clamping structure also includes a second clamping surface engageable with the plate member with the clamping structure in the clamping position. The first and second clamping surfaces of the jaw element are generally arcuate and include apexes. A screw member is provided for moving the clamping structure between the clamping and the release positions.
The bore in the plate member extends along an angle in the range of 30° and 80°, and most preferably, at an angle of approximately 65°. It is contemplated that the outer face of the plate member include a lip. The lip is engageable with a corresponding ledge along the outer face to support the plate member thereon.
In accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention, a frame assembly is provided for a lower blanking tool of a carton die cutting machine. The frame assembly includes a rigid outer frame having a slot therein. A blanking tool insert receivable on the outer frame and a rail assembly is also provided for interconnecting the blanking tool insert to the outer frame. The rail assembly includes an elongated support that receives a portion of the blanking tool insert and a plate member. The plate member defines inner and outer faces and a bore extending between the inner face and the outer face along an axis at an acute angle to the outer face. The rail assembly further includes a clamping structure operatively connected to the plate member. The clamping structure is movable between a clamping position for rigidly retaining a portion of the elongated support against the plate member and a release position. A fastening element extends through the bore in the plate member and is receivable in the slot in the outer frame to interconnect the plate member to the outer frame.
The acute angle of the bore through the plate member is preferably in the range of 30° to 80°, and most preferably, approximately 65°. The inner face of the plate member defines a recessed slot therein for receiving a jogger. The clamping structure includes a jaw element having a first clamping surface engageable with the elongated support when the clamping structure is in the clamping position and a second clamping surface engageable with the plate member when the clamping structure is in the clamping position. The first and second clamping surfaces of the jaw element are generally arcuate and include apexes. It is contemplated for the plate member includes an upper surface that interconnects the inner and outer faces. The upper surface of the plate member includes a pin receiving depression therein for receiving a pin that extends through the blanking tool insert.